Ahli Parlimen cadang syarikat kecil diberi subsidi bayar gaji minimum baharu

The opposition MP Ahmad Fadhli Shaari has proposed that the government provide a subsidy to small companies for up to seven months to help them pay their employees based on the new minimum wage of RM2,000, rather than exempting them from the increase. Speaking during the 2027 Budget discussion in the Dewan Rakyat, Fadhli suggested the scheme would begin with 500,000 workers in micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (PMKS), with the government adding RM300 per worker per month.

At a cost of RM300 per month, he estimated the subsidy would cost RM150 million per month, or RM1.05 billion over the seven-month period, not including administrative costs. The exemption for small companies means their employees would continue to receive RM1,700 monthly, while employees in larger companies would receive the higher RM2,000 wage.

However, Fadhli argued that this exemption risks creating two sets of workers with different minimum wage rates, potentially harming skilled workers by encouraging them to move to larger companies, thereby weakening the competitiveness of PMKS. To fund the subsidy, Fadhli proposed cutting RM3.8 million for each government MP in 2027, a move he believes could save RM581.4 million.

He suggested the rest of the money could be obtained through further cuts to government spending, including the Prime Minister's Department budget, which he estimated has risen from RM10 billion to RM11.6 billion.